Genevevo Rivas Guillén (1886–1947) was a Mexican general and provisional Governor of San Luis Potosi.

Origin

Rivas was born in Rayon, San Luis Potosí in 1886. He joined the revolutionary forces and participated in the

Mexican Revolution The Mexican Revolution () was an extended sequence of armed regional conflicts in Mexico from 20 November 1910 to 1 December 1920. It has been called "the defining event of modern Mexican history". It saw the destruction of the Federal Army, its ...

beginning in 1910, under the command of General Alberto Carrera Torres, where he was ranked lieutenant.

Battle of Carrizal

On June 21, 1916, during the

Punitive Expedition A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a political entity or any group of people outside the borders of the punishing state or union. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong beha ...

, a column of the U.S. Army under the command of Captain Charles T. Boyd were marching towards Rancho Santo Domingo from Villa Ahumada, Chihuahua, overstepped the geographic limits granted to the Americans when the Mexican government of

Venustiano Carranza José Venustiano Carranza de la Garza (; 29 December 1859 – 21 May 1920), known as Venustiano Carranza, was a Mexican land owner and politician who served as President of Mexico from 1917 until his assassination in 1920, during the Mexican Re ...

approved the expedition. Lieutenant Rivas's forces, at the garrison at the nearby town of Carrizal, moved to block them and request their return to the authorized area. Captain Boyd refused, claiming he was pursuing an Army deserter. Rivas requested help from his superior, requesting their return, so Captain Boyd refused, and warned that going after a U.S. Army deserter, requesting the presence of his superior, General Félix Gómez. Gómez supported his subordinate, starting a battle in which General Gómez died, with Rivas in command. Lieutenant Rivas defeated the Americans and forced them to retreat. U.S. casualties were 50 soldiers killed, along with the capture of 27 prisoners, 22 horses and weapons; Mexico lost only 27 men, and 39 soldiers were wounded. In 1924, he received the Heroic Valor Award.

Later years

As commander of Military Zone XIV, he fought against the Cristeros during the

Cristero War The Cristero War (), also known as the Cristero Rebellion or , was a widespread struggle in central and western Mexico from 3 August 1926 to 21 June 1929 in response to the implementation of secularism, secularist and anti-clericalism, anticler ...

in the states of

Jalisco Jalisco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Jalisco, is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the 32 Political divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. It is located in western Mexico and is bordered by s ...

and San Luis Potosi; he was then promoted to brigadier general in 1938 after he fought against the rebellion of General

Saturnino Cedillo Saturnino Cedillo Martínez (November 29, 1890 – January 11, 1939) was a Mexican politician who participated in the Mexican Revolution and the Cristero War. He was governor of San Luis Potosí from 1927 to 1931 through the Partido Nacional Rev ...

. He became governor of his state and military commander of the states of

Querétaro Querétaro, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Querétaro, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Querétaro, 18 municipalities. Its capital city is Querétaro Cit ...

Oaxaca Oaxaca, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Oaxaca, is one of the 32 states that compose the political divisions of Mexico, Federative Entities of the Mexico, United Mexican States. It is divided into municipalities of Oaxaca, 570 munici ...

and

Sonora Sonora (), officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Sonora (), is one of the 31 states which, along with Mexico City, comprise the Administrative divisions of Mexico, Federal Entities of Mexico. The state is divided into Municipalities of Sonora, 72 ...

. Subsequently, to retire from the army, he devoted himself to agriculture. Rivas died of drowning in Potrero de Para, San Luis Potosi, in 1947.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Guillen, Genovevo Rivas 1886 births 1947 deaths Governors of San Luis Potosí Mexican generals